During its Monday night work session, the Aberdeen City Council discussed what its legislative priorities would be for the Harford County delegation to seek in Annapolis this upcoming General Assembly session.
Those legislative priorities (the proverbial ‘bacon’ the Aberdeen mayor and city council would like to see the delegation bring home) included: “Municipal Revenue Source Protection,” “Support for Water Project” and “Hotel Tax/Tourism.”
There’s no denying Aberdeen has some water problems and could use a room fee to help offset the continually Ripken Stadium losses, but are there other issues the city should have prioritized?
We all remember the curious fate of the Hotel Tax last year, so out of Aberdeen’s three priorities this year, which do you think has the greatest chance of success in Annapolis?
Aberdeen Mayor and Council Work Session
November 17, 2008
4:30 PMAgenda
1. Call to Order
2. Matters of Urgent Business
3. Work Session
a. Annexation Plans
b. Delegation Meeting Discussion Topics
1. Municipal Revenue Source Protection
2. Support for Water Project
3. Hotel Tax/Tourism
4. Other
c. WRE and Water Investigation Bids
4. Liaison Reports
5. Other
6. Adjourn
Well, you can count the hotel tax out, since the biggest opponent to it in Annapolis now has more power.
Interesting that BRAC isn’t mentioned specifically, especially with all the rumors about Harford being left out of the state funding party.
Oh, and they already solved the toursim problem. They posted video on their website!
The Democrats want ANOTHER TAX HIKE?!
Hiob’s pals MDJ & Riley were part of the Martin O’Malley tax hike solution that:
-Increased the sales tax 20%
-Increased the car tax 20% (surprise, MD auto sales are lower this year!)
-Increase income taxes paid by small businesses
-Increased the corporate income tax by 17%
-Doubled the unemployment tax businesses pay
So what do they want in Aberdeen? A hotel/tourism tax because that industry is not hurting in a downturned economy, in a higher-taxed economy, and because they don’t think keeping people employed locally is a worthwhile goal.
Sad, sad, sad.
I don’t live in Aberdeen anymore, but I sure hope they do a real review of their budget and cut out all that waste.
Tax increases at this time are the worst possible answer! Do we really want to put ANOTHER TAX on business? really? It is time we throw out these pro-tax lovers out!!!
You have taxed business enough! How about instead of taxes you waste less money; look at this great waste!
“Councilwoman Young attended the Maryland Municipal League Conference held in Cambridge”
http://cityofaberdeen.isg.syssrc.com/minutes/2008/October%2027,%202008%20Minutes.pdf
How much did the city pay to send a councilwoman to Cambridge for the weekend at the ritzy renowned Hilton spa?
Aberdeen needs a reality check! No wonder no one wants to build or live here.
Every other county in Maryand has a hotel tax. Harford County is the only one without one. They are only talking about a 1 or 2 dollar per room tax. Its better to do that than raise property taxes. I think people can afford to pay 1 or 2 dollars extra to stay a night at a hotel.
You are right Chris. And the real fact is that the tax is payed by the non-resident who uses the hotel. Right now all of us from Harford County pay a hotel tax every time we stay somewhere. I just came back from Indiana and payed a 12% total tax. They charged me for a “state tax” and an “occupancy tax”. Nancy Jacobs screamed that she wouldn’t support us in this because she had made a promise of no new taxes. That’s right no new taxes but for us it then means increased taxes and usage fees. The fact is that our police department are in the local hotels far more than they are in our neighborhoods. We pay fro that service to the transient population.
Dave would you’ like to in lighten the public as to why? our highly trained police department would be lolly gaging. in the local hotel & motel’s of aberdeen.
Dave…interesting about the police being in the motels…is that because of problems with these people who are on contracts to apg…whats the deal…enlighten me. If thats the case that these hotels and motels are using inordinante amounts of services they should pay their way.
Go Dagger !
Don’t the police get paid by the motel to be there? I saw them at there in plain clothes at the enterance to the bars.
Dave, if Aberdeen didn’t have a hotel tax before then is the hotel tax really the culprit to their budgetary problems? Or is it sort of like slots? A magical potion fix that really is like slapping a piece of gum on a gaping hole in a sinking ship? See the argument that the hotels don’t pay taxes isn’t true. They have a property that they pay property taxes on just like a barber’s shop. Adding the hotel tax will decrease business 10% according to industry experts. The 10% will result in job cuts, less corporate income tax (goes to the state then winds its way back to the cities), and if a hotel deems their property worth more than the cost of operating than perhaps they close.
*Pause* When was the last real audit of the Aberdeen budget? *Loooooong Pause*
We’ve done enough to punish businesses in Maryland in the last twelve months:
-Doubled unemployment tax
-Increased corporate income tax 17%
-Increase personal income tax (on upper earners/small businesses)
-Increased the sales tax
So yah, let’s just toss some more gas on the fire and see if we can’t burn more.
*shrugs*
Vet & Local – Our highly trained, respected, Nationally recognized officer’s are working OT off duty paid by the hotel (Thurs-Sat, night time outside the club doors) (Clarion/Laquinta). Even with that, the hotels and motels in Aberdeen are more like residences. The police are always visiting the same hotel / motel on a daily schedule, be it a domestic, drunk and disorderly, theft, 9-1-1 hang up, etc. It doesn’t matter if it’s military or someone being put up by social services. Our hotels are homes, not a short stay.
Jerry T did an excellent job of answering the serious questions and comments. The police presence I was referring to were the call for service types. Be it a domestic or drugs or a brawl or whatever.
Taxes seems to know the entire story and just how to put the citizens in their place. The industry experts referred to are blowing smoke. They will not lose 10% or .1% because of a room tax. I would venture to guess that Aberdeen is the only place in this country where you don’t pay a hotel tax!
The city is audited each and every year. The last two audits were conducted by a new audit firm and were extremely thorough. They found discrepancies, but nothing major, just procedural.
The hotel tax is not a panacea for the City. It would however, provide an additional revenue source, one that travelers pay, not us.
The police working off duty at a place that serves alcohol? That is unethical and a conflict of interest. What are they doing there, setting people up? I wonder how many officers do this?
My concern is that Aberdeen seems to be spending more than it takes in. We all have household budgets and we do our best to stick to them, especially these days. I just don’t want the city I live in to create a deficit (or take out loans) to cover the operations of the city. Then hope to pay back the deficit through future projections. Everyone knows that anyone wanting to build in Aberdeen hardly ever does! Just look at the proposed development that was to take place around the stadium. And the proposed Happy Harry’s by walmart. Two things that haven’t and most likely won’t.happen.
And what about BRAC? Exactly how is Aberdeen getting ready for that? Where is the water coming from? Where are the resources going to come from? I am afraid my taxes will go up to cover this because Aberdeen refuses to grow.
local,
The only explanation for Aberdeen’s faults is general incompetence throughout it’s positions of power. Ask any of these chains and franchises who are trying (and have been for the last 5 years) to open business in Aberdeen, and they will each tell you they have more problems with this city than any other. And in some cases, they are a nationwide business.
I know of one company that is very frustrated, has been opening locally in other areas without major delays, and worst of all, would provide a major benefit to the area. But Super Chicken Rico and a 2nd Curves can open on schedule. I wonder why that is? Who owns that property again?
Shakes- you have no clue as to what they do. Setting people up? for what? Seriously, do you honestly think that when cops are doing overtime details they have nothing better than to “make” trouble for the others on duty? That is exactly why they are at the hotels. To prevent things so that the on duty officers can actually go to the calls that arn’t BS. I am so tired of people thinking the cops are conspiring against the public. TRUST ME they dont want all these calls of intoxication,hangups,fights,etc. They would much rather help the victims of an accident or help the spouse getting the crap beat out of them than run up to a hotel for BS.
I could suggest a couple of motel’s, that could use police presence 24/ 7 may be we could get Art Helton to buy them out.& tear them down.maybe & Arby’s roast beef.
Hey Vet…..Yea Arby’s!….that’s my favorite.
Het Vet – How about a SONIC!
Yea Jason
Denu for You 2009!
Right on BIC. Electing Denu will solve everything. Much like electing Obamma at the national level.
Thanks Dave… I’ve always wanted my image on my very own “Victory Plate”.
In reading the commentary posted on this page Aberdeenians seem to be very disappointed.
The “water project” still talking and still no where. Again after decades of realizing that our water source is dwindling and tainted we as a community are still at a stand still with no viable solution in sight. Why!
I think it’s high time we as a community demand that the construction of a new water treatment facility that drafts water from the bay tributary is decided on and moved forward to completion, but that will not happen until the onas is taken off the few part time elected officials and the citizenry takes responsibility for its self.
The “Hotel Tax” which really isn’t. The proposal is that persons staying in local hotels/motels pay a nominal fee to offset the overwhelming disparity in calls for service above what the average citizens use. Extremely Fair! The hotels in Aberdeen have been a haven for illicit activity and during my tenure working in narcotics had done a majority of “my business” there. Many issues factor into the ways this environment exists in hotels, but it does and we should not be willing to or allow ourselves to lessen our services for a transient population of lawbreakers.
A final hotel note: Nearly every evening or overnight, I worked with a group that would go to the hotels to investigate and we always came up with good arrests…I doubt that could be said of the same tactic in any giving portion of the community. Excellent and effective policing!
The other issue of off duty police officers working hotels is that the ownership recognizes the need to provide law enforcement there as they house night clubs which attract illicit behaviors. It’s called selective or targeted enforcement (best part for us is that the establishment is paying for the needed coverage and not us) and we perform the very same enforcement in our community….are we “setting” people up then? I think not. Simply put, if you you a big problem, you pay big attention to a solution!
Rick;
The comment to Bic was not to dis you, but rather to point out the silly thought that any one person is going to make any change. If you think you can do it, go for it. I may well give you a hand.
Dave
I concur with every bit of Rick’s commentary. We would have been 2 years into the new treatment plant at the bay, except that the new administration was so myopic that every single thing that Fred or I touched had to be destroyed. I even heard that the toilet seats throughout City hall had to be replaced because we had crapped there. The bay solution had all the merit in the world and was supported by State and federal agencies. Paying for it would have been a snap. Helton didn’t invent it and couildn’t begin to understand it and further wouldn’t have been able to personally benefit form it so it died. I truly believe that by the time the 2009 election gets here, it will be too late for Aberdeen to solve its own problem and we will be a subsidiary of Harford County.
I’ve said plenty about hotel taxes. Nancy Jacobs and Andy Harris are smugly satisfied with their position of screwing Aberdeen.
Happy New Year!
DENU 4 U in 2009!!!
Jason I will go along with that. I think he’s got what it takes’ to get the ball rolling…..
Dave,
I know what you meant and completely agree. None of this can be done by one person and frankly it’s gonna take a hell of alot more work to regain our creditability on all levels of government to get what we deserve.
I’m thinking District Representation on the Aberdeen Council and a full time Elected Mayor in place of a City Manager before we cash it all in and subjegate to the County!
Rick;
I admire your optimism and agree with a lot of what you say about this. The most serious problem can be described by looking at the current Council. As far as I can tell there is only one person who thinks about what is best for Aberdeen first. Starting from the left; a person who will lie just for the sake of lying. Had it not been for Judge Close, she probably would have been put out of office by now. The second one is only interested in getting reelected! Plain and simple the guy still doesn’t understand the basics of the budget. The center guy is still a puppet of Art Helton. He will always be beholden and won’t ever have the balls to toss that scoundrel out of our City Hall. The next is willing to spend 24 hours a day studying but simply can’t figure out how to move forward because she fears that she doesn’t have 100% of the information. 4 votes to do nothing productive is what we have.
BRAC is coming and the County took Aberdeen’s initiative away. We will have all of the impact and none of the fees. Look at Hollywoods to see how highly Aberdeen is regarded by the County.
DOOM!
Dave,
Accurate assessment, but who’s responsible.
The voter. When is the community going to take a serious look at thier candidates and vote for the right ones, instead of the same one’s?
It’s time the citizenry takes responsibility for this City (Country) and stop passing the buck to the elected officials. Government was never intended to run this way!
I agree with Rick, but also have seen how easily the voter can be convinced that white is black and black is white. The influence exerted in the last election by forces outside the City tells volumes. There are at least four valid cases of election fraud that occurred in 2007, but only under Maryland law. The City law does not refer to the Maryland law so in fact make those violations legal! As long as the good old boys continue to get their way Aberdeen will suck hind tit.
10 MONTHS, 20 DAYS….
D E N U 4 U ! ! !
Jason your the man, thru thick & thin you hang in there.so there is still hope.
Jason you’re a trip. Keep up the good work.
Vet and Dave,
It’s not about being a trip or being the man.
Denu was right on with the issues he addressed in the last election. It’s too bad the voters could not see that.
It’s like this…The current Mayor and Council, I believe know NOW how dead right Fred Simmons was about the state of the City. They won’t admit it because that would be the honorable thing. Now they sit there and think about ways to fix a problem that cannot be fixed without raising taxes. Like it or not, this City is going to need to raise taxes like Havre de Grace had to do, for a few years, get the City financially sound, then restore them to the lowest possible rate. If not, just as the Wilson administration, we will continue to rob Peter to pay Paul, loose good city services, and well, the end result, bankruptcy.
The water project that was introduced while Fred Simmons was Mayor, should be on board or close to it. Endless water. The hotel tax, Harford County needs it. When was the last time you went on vacation or booked a hotel and asked, “Um, excuse me Mam or Sir, What is the hotel tax the municipality is receiveing?” Give me a break.
Lastly, 10 months, 20 days.
i am wondering if mike hiob will run for mayor
There’s no doubt in my mind. he can get the job done. it’s the baggage he will have to carry getting it done. the council being the main player.
Jason is right about almost all of it, however, there needs to be one more element at least. The City has to grow its tax base. By that I mean expand the commercial development and go ahead and annex the additional pieces. Unfortunately the DPW has stopped everything through its total mismanagement ot the water situation. Right now the only new thing to be done since last election is the Hilton Gardens (totally approved by the last administration). Even the Green Turtle has failed to be opened as yet. The property we all lovingly remember as the Tuckaway Manor is now a great big open yard. How much tax revenue do we get from open space?
This government has failed in every possible way, and I’m afraid the damage is so great and permanent that it is now impossible to reverse. Control is in the hands of people who do not live or pay taxes in this City. Look at the agenda of the ACT group and know that they could care less about Aberdeen.
Jerry;
As much as it might make sense, Mike Hiob would be nuts to run for Mayor at this point. How many of the three Rs would be reelected and continue to mismanage?
every department. need’s a hard nose. to stop the waste’ trim the fat & and cut down the theft.
I heard they only let the hotel go through because someone thought it was HELTON not Hilton Gardens!
Art helton has a lot of clout. for and out of towner.
Only because the people let him intimidate them. Once someone lies to me he’s a liar. Once I find out he has stolen something he’s a thief. He had to work hard to get Fred and me out because we wouldn’t listen to his bullshit.
How about a hotel user fee, it sounds soooooo much nicer than tax. It’s quite simple, the $59 room at Red Roof now costs $61 and Aberdeen gets $2. Let’s see, there are roughly 1125 hotel rooms in Aberdeen, let’s say it’s slow season and 500 are used, then $1000 would be generated for the city in just 1 day. Now let’s keep that low ball figure of 500 and call that the average hotel occupancy on a day to day basis (kind of a balance during World Series time and Obama time and summer travel time and holiday travel time and the slow times). Unless my math is way off, Aberdeen would have $365,000 coming in….not too shabby. Now let’s look at Obama mania, using that same $2 fee, average stay 3 nights, every hotel sold out, roughly $6750 for a long weekend, not that shabby at all. By the way Obamamania rooms, which have been sold out, are fetching quite the penny for the hotels. That $59 room is going for $300.
Cost to Aberdeen resident…..ZERO (unless the hotel room is being used by an Aberdeen resident…..we won’t go there). Cost to the hotel owner……..ZERO. Cost to the traveler or the contractor putting up workers…….a measly $2 per night, the cost of a drink and sandwich from the dollar menu.
Back to the low ball figure of $365,000……..what could Aberdeen do with that money……..hmmmmm, I’d like to think that property taxes wouldn’t jump and I’d like to think that the water bill may level off and I’d like to think that city services wouldn’t be interrupted.
I wonder why there is a new hotel going up on Beards Hill………could it be DEMAND. That must mean that the 1125 rooms all ready here are filled up a little more than an average of 500 per day. Aberdeen could be looking at a good 400K per year coming in……….much better than the Ripken Stadium money that we don’t see.
RWinger,
Did you ever consider running?
BIC: I considered running on a platform of not knowing a darn thing and not being able to screw things up any worse than they are now…………Something like vote for me I can’t screw things up any more than this crew has.
Three things pretty much prevent me from running:
1- I’m not a friend of Art Helton and don’t have any ties to any developers
2- I’m not a friend of Art Helton and don’t have any ties to the “Big DEM Machine” (even though town elections are suppose to stay away from partisan politics we all know what the score is)
3- I’m not a friend of Art Helton and some folks feeding off the teat of Aberdeen city jobs may be forced to secure employment elsewhere, including those that are a friend of Art Helton
Oh yeah, and did I mention that I’m not a friend of Art Helton.
RWinger proves once again that the people who are smart enough to be in office are smart enough to stay away completely!
Art Helton & steve johnson have been very quite.
V Vet,
What do they say about when your two year old is too quiet…….
TROUBLE